Something wrong with my form or am I just really out of shape?

I just started running after getting below 200lbs (whoo!) I currently can only run a mile at a time. So I run one mile walk the same distance then run for another and finish all that up with walking another mile. By the time I'm getting past the halfway point of my second mile the middle of my back and right shoulder start killing me and if it wasn't for that I feel like I could keep running. So I'm wondering if doing something weird or just out of shape and my body is fighting me.

Hard to know exactly without seeing...but if back/shoulder are giving you issues it could likely be that you are holding your upper body too tightly. Relax your shoulders and let your arms swing naturally (forward and backwards...not side to side). You want to have an erect posture, leaning slightly forward (from your ankles up through your torso)but your upper body should be relaxed and comfortable.

M4tt saidI just started running after getting below 200lbs (whoo!) I currently can only run a mile at a time. So I run one mile walk the same distance then run for another and finish all that up with walking another mile. By the time I'm getting past the halfway point of my second mile the middle of my back and right shoulder start killing me and if it wasn't for that I feel like I could keep running. So I'm wondering if doing something weird or just out of shape and my body is fighting me.

i used to get tight shoulder/back issues when I started. It was because I was clenching my hands tightly and that just messed up everything else. A bud of mine told me to hold my thumb and first two fingertips together as if I was carrying potato chip and try not to break it into pieces.

avgmwbiguy saidi used to get tight shoulder/back issues when I started. It was because I was clenching my hands tightly and that just messed up everything else. A bud of mine told me to hold my thumb and first two fingertips together as if I was carrying potato chip and try not to break it into pieces.

Also, thinking about potato chips was a good diversion too!

OR OR....

get an actual potato chip in each hand to hold lightly and then when you get hungry during the run NOM NOM

Ironman4U saidHard to know exactly without seeing...but if back/shoulder are giving you issues it could likely be that you are holding your upper body too tightly. Relax your shoulders and let your arms swing naturally (forward and backwards...not side to side). You want to have an erect posture, leaning slightly forward (from your ankles up through your torso)but your upper body should be relaxed and comfortable.

I'll try that next time thanks!

tuffguyndc saidwhat type of shoes are you running in? do you do any type of weight training? if i were you i would start doing walking lunges, any type of glute activation exercises

avgmwbiguy saidi used to get tight shoulder/back issues when I started. It was because I was clenching my hands tightly and that just messed up everything else. A bud of mine told me to hold my thumb and first two fingertips together as if I was carrying potato chip and try not to break it into pieces.

Also, thinking about potato chips was a good diversion too!

Yeah I clench my hands real tightly that might be my problem, I definitely change that in my next run thanks!